


if all we are is just a moment don't forget me

by aralliya



Series: Voltron Highshool AU [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Getting Together, Keith trying not to be in love but can't help it, Lance and gay panic are one, M/M, Pining, Romance, Slow Burn, spending the night in IKEA
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 07:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17504090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aralliya/pseuds/aralliya
Summary: Lance, Hunk, Keith, and Allura are all heading to different schools after graduation--but before that, they have to plan a celebration. Something exciting, memorable, and that will send their entire friend group off with a bang. And Lance has the perfect idea. An idea that involves breaking and entering, pizza, bunk beds, and maybe, just maybe, a boyfriend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Holy hell guys.  
> This fic.  
> This got dang fic.  
> I'd just like to start of with saying thank you so much, to everyone who's sat and listened to me complain, who encouraged me when I wanted to give up, and gave me ideas when I lost motivation. This fic at this point really is a group project so I dedicate it to everyone in the HappyChat, and everyone in the Pinefest!!
> 
> Also extra thanks to Max for writing my summary you are the best pal :')
> 
> I am so excited to finally share this with everyone! So without further ado, I hope you enjoy the IKEA fic!!!

 

Hunk’s tossing popcorn into Lance’s mouth when his phone rings. The noise is distracting, so his throw is off. He ends up hitting Lance in the cheek instead. When Lance makes an undignified squawk, Keith laughs from his place next to him. Quickly, Hunk steps away from their small group and answers the phone.

“What’s got him all worked up?” Lance asks, taking the popcorn and turning to toss it at Keith instead. He pretends not to be impressed with how well the other catches it in his mouth. “The last time he was this nervous he was waiting for Olkarion to get back to him about his acceptance.”

Keith smirks as he catches another popcorn easily; again, Lance pretends not to find this attractive.

They’d been friends for four years, having survived the hell that was high school together. While Lance didn’t particularly like the other at first, Keith had grown on him. Grown on him to the point where Lance blushed when the other stood too close to him, felt light headed when Keith told him off, felt a stuttering in his heart when Keith smiled.

It was rather annoying, Lance thought. 

Because Keith wasn’t into him, not in the way that Lance wanted him to be. And there was no way he could  _ ever _ tell Keith that he was.

Keith catches another popcorn in his mouth, and Lance narrows his eyes at the easy, yet cocky smile Keith shoots him. “No idea. But he’d share if it was important.” 

Lance rolls his eyes and throws three kernels at him at once. Keith is unprepared and flounders, narrowing his eyes at Lance when two fall into the grass in front of them. Silently, Lance cheers. Inwardly, he fumes, irritated that he’d thought Keith looked  _ cute _ in doing so.

“I guess,” Lance starts. Keith leans forward and takes the popcorn from him, “Oh no, no no no. There’s no way I’m going to let you throw popcorn at me. Your aim is probably garbage.”

Keith blinks at him, “We were gym partners for all of first year, I’m pretty sure you’re the one that gave me a black eye during our softball unit.”

“Yeah--well,” Lance stutters. Before he can come up with something else to say, Hunk comes rushing around the corner, smiling down at his phone.

“What’s up, big guy?” Lance asks when Hunk settles down in their circle again.

Hunks smile brightens further, “Shay got into Olkarion!”

“HUNK!” Lance squeals and launches himself on top of Hunk, wrapping himself around him as they fall to the ground. “That’s amazing!”

Keith laughs at the two, smiling as they hold each other. He leans out of the way of Lance’s limbs as they excitedly flail about. “That’s really cool,” Keith says.

For Lance, Hunk, and Keith, it’s their fourth and final year of high school. Soon, they’d all be separating, going their different ways, heading across the county in different directions. 

Lance pretends it doesn't bother him, pretends the distance and the change isn't an issue. Instead, he focuses on the happiness he feels for Hunk.

Keith hears footsteps on the grass beside him, before Pidge plops down beside him, stealing the popcorn to eat herself. “What’s with the Hance pile up?”

She’s still in her third year, the only one of their small group not about to graduate. Lance ignores the twinge in his chest at the thought of leaving her behind, and concentrates on wrapping Hunk up as tightly as he can.

Keith shrugs, “Shay got into the same school as Hunk, they’re-”

“HUNK!” Pidge yells, cutting Keith off as she body slams herself onto Lance’s back.

They’re all yelling now, but Keith isn’t able to really make out any words. He shakes his head and takes it upon himself to share the good news with the rest of their friends.

 

Keithy boii: Hunk has some news for the group chat

Allcoola: ???

Señor Holt: Oya?

Shirt Dad #1: Oya oya?

Adamn Dad #2: Oya oya oya?

Keithy boii: I hate this.

Keithy boii: this was a mistake

 

He can hear the Plunk pile start to calm down, and Keith says, “You should tell the rest of the group, Hunk.” 

Hunk nods as they settle down, grabbing his phone from where he’d dropped it when Lance had body slammed him. The other two follow.

 

Allcoola: is this another reference that I don’t get?

McLame: it’s from

Señor Holt:  HAIKYUU!!

Podge: ft. the best bromance

Hunkalicious: besides plunk of course

McLame: oh true oh truee

Shirt Dad #1: Matt made Adam and I binge it with him when season two came out, it was alright

Adamn Dad #2: takashi stop lying to the kids, you loved it.

Shirt Dad #2: I said it was alright!

McLame: this is the best day

Hunkalicious: SPEAKING OF BEST DAYS

Podge: HUNK HAS NEWS

Señor Holt: WHAT WHAT WHAT

Shirt Dad #2: What’s going on, Hunk?

Allcoola: ???

Hunkalicious: OK so

Hunkalicious: You know how last week I was accepted into Olkarion?

Hunkalicious: Shay applied for the same one, we thought it would be fun to go to school together for once.

Allcoola: I think I know where this is going

Señor Holt: I HOPE ITS GOING WHERE I THINK IT’S GOING

Hunkalicious: well I mean

Hunkalicious: I got accepted last week.

Hunkalicious: Shay just got accepted today!

Adamn Dad #2: Congratulations, Hunk!

Allcoola: oh my gosh! Thats so good, I’m so happy for you!

McLame: AYEEEE YEEEET I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

Shirt Dad #1: Hunk, thats amazing!

 

The bell rings, and the four of them share a collective sigh. 

“Two more classes, and then we’re gone.” Lance says, starting to pack up his popcorn.

Keith nods, gathering his bag and wiping the dirt from his too tight skinny jeans. Lance tries to avert his gaze, but his jeans look good, almost to good.

Hunk stands after him, still smiling into his phone.

Pidge stands last, and they follow her back up towards the school, and for the boys: their final classes.

 

* * *

 

When Lance was eight years old, he lived in a run-down trailer in his township’s trailer park. There weren’t many other kids around his age, and he wasn’t always playing with the safest toys, but it was where he met Hunk, so the trailer held a special spot in his memory.

Originally, he’d been from Cuba. When he was four years old, he and his family of three siblings and a mother and father had packed up and moved themselves here. His first home was the trailer park. After years of searching, his father had finally found a job within an online security company, helping run security checks and create programs to help shield companies from those who would try for harm. 

After this, Lance moved into a nicer area, somewhere his mom had always wanted to live. But that’s later.

In the trailer park, Lance only had his siblings, and they weren’t very interested in playing in the mud with him. See, running alongside the trailer, behind the bush was a creek, and Lance’s favourite spot.

He’d catch frogs, or fish for minnows with the small fishing pole the elder lady three trailers down had given him. Veronica, being 13 at the time, was just discovering the world of  _ romance _ . She didn’t find digging for bugs as the most fun she could be having. Luis, as much as he and Lance got along, didn’t like to be far from their small home. He’d get tummy aches, so he liked to stay close to their mother, as she flitted about with household chores. Marco would come down sometimes, watch Lance play and help him untangle the line when it got caught on a rock deeper in the creek.

Overall, Lance spent his childhood down by the creek, all by himself. 

It wasn’t until he was 9 years old that he met Hunk. He’d been playing in the creek, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and face covered in dirt. There was a frog Lance had been determined to catch, but it kept jumping away, farther and farther into the murky water.

While Lance was allowed to come here whenever he wanted, he wasn’t allowed to go out into the deep into the water; or to where the water passed his waist. His Mama had warned him of the dangers of the current, and the slippery rocks below. But the frog was just along the edge, on a high rock. If Lance went just a hair out of bounds, he could reach the frog easily before it can hop away.

He figures, why not? It’ll only take a moment, and what Mama doesn't know, won’t hurt her. He’s been playing here for years, he’s a master. He knows these rocks better than anyone else. He knows what he’s doing.

On his first step he slips. 

The jagged rocks below his feet are not as sturdy as they appear below the water’s gloomy surface. When he steps forwards, the rock immediately dislodges and is whisked away in the creek’s unforgivable current. 

Lance gasps, and is dragged down with it.

He kicks his legs, desperately trying to break the surface of the water. His heart is pounding, panic and fear racing through his veins. Why isn’t the surface getting any closer?  _ Why can’t he see the sun? _

He tries to look through the stream, tries to see what’s stopping him from reaching oxygen again. The bottom of the lake is dark, and gloomy. But he can vaguely see his shoelace caught on a rock.

Frantically, he tries to untie the knot. It’s wet, and the more he pulls the tighter it gets. 

Lance is running out of air, and he’s  _ still stuck. _

His mind is screaming, thoughts racing through his mind as he panics, and the adrenaline surges through his body.

_ I’m going to die down here. _

_ I’m going to die. _

_ I’m going to- _

Suddenly, Lance can breathe again. His chest is heaving, drinking in air as if he’d never tasted it before. As if it would be for the last time.

The sunlight is harsh on his eyes, and his throat hurts from how much he’s been coughing. He can feel himself pressed against someone's chest, and he clings to their broad shoulders.

They carry him away from the water, and up the side of the river bank. He’s shivering, shaking and crying, and when he feels solid ground under his feet, the tears fall all that much faster. He curls into himself, hugging his legs to his chest.

His saviour crouches beside him and asks, “Are you alright?”

Blinking away tears, Lance let’s his eyes drift up to the boy in front of him. He has darker skin than Lance, and a yellow headband wrapped around the back of his head. His clothes are soaked, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Wiping tears and snot away from his face, Lance nods shakily.

“That’s good,” the boy smiles. “My name is Hunk. Do you live around here?”

Again, Lance nods. His hair sopping wet and dripping into his eyes. He brushes it back, and drowns himself in the warmth of Hunk’s hazel eyes. They’re soft, and looking into them helps Lance calm down. He feels the adrenaline begin to flood from his system, fear and desperation taking its place.

Lance may be a tough nine-year-old boy, but right now, he really wants to see his mama. 

Briefly he’s aware, just how upset at him she’ll be, and that she’ll never let him play at the creek again. But all he can think about is how badly he wants to hug her, how badly he wants to curl up in her arms and listen to the radio together, listen to her sing her favourite lullabies.

The warmth in Hunk’s eyes is inviting, and it’s comforting. The fear that races through him slows, until it steadily fades away with each beat of his heart.

Hunk stands, and offers him his hand. “Let me take you home.”

Where Hunk stands, the sun shines behind him. He’s a little larger than Lance is. But in that moment, Lance thinks he’s beautiful. Carefully, he reaches out and curls his fingers around Hunks, and allows the other to pull him to his feet.

He’s blushing a little as Hunk pulls him to his feet, but he’s not sure why.

When he’s upright again, he feels cold wash over him, and can feel his knees buckle. Hunk is quick to catch him, and holds him steady.

“I--” Lance can feel tears welling up again, feels the fear weighing heavy in his chest. “I don’t think I can walk.”

Hunk holds him by the shoulders, supporting his weight. “No worries,” he smiles down at Lance. Hunk is a good five centimetres taller than Lance, and when he looks down to meet his eyes Lance feels nothing but safe. Hunk turns around, and offers his back to Lance.

Blushing harder than ever before, Lance climbs onto him. After standing and adjusting Lance’s weight on his back, he heads up the steep incline that separates the creek from the trail. Lance clings tightly, and wonders why his heart won’t slow down.

(It’s years later, that Lance understands his feeling is more than admiration. Understands that the word ‘bisexual,’ describes him perfectly.)

 

When they get to Lance’s home, his mother is furious with him, but she also hugs him, and tells him how happy she is to have him safe. She thanks Hunk and invites him inside. They talk for hours, sipping hot chocolate while Lance drowns himself in a thick layer of blankets. His mother has taken a liking to Hunk, and honestly? So has he.

Hunk didn’t live in their trailer park, but his grandma was the little old lady three trailers down, the one who’d given Lance his first fishing pole. He was visiting her for the summer, and had seen Lance fall into the river while he was playing on the swingset outside.

Lance’s mother thanks Hunk profusely, and eventually Hunk heads home.

“I’m happy you’re okay, Lance.” Hunk smiles at Lance, and once again, Lance can feel his heart stutter in his chest. 

Lance nods, words unformed on his tongue. Hunk nods his head, and heads out the door. 

As Lance watches him leave, he starts to panic again. Without knowing why, he bursts through the door, calling after him.

Hunk stops, and turns to Lance with an eyebrow raised. “What’s up?”

Lance takes a deep breath, and searches for just why he’d go after the other the way he did.

When he looks at Hunk, he feels safe. And for the first time, Lance has found someone that he wouldn’t mind spending his time with. Someone who might not mind spending time with  _ him. _ And that someone is leaving. There is something in Lance that feels that, if he doesn’t stop him now, he might not see him again.

“Do you think you’d wanna, like, play with me tomorrow too?” Lance says, wringing his hands in front of him. He feels the blush on his cheeks, but he ignores it.

Hunk smiles, bright and excited. “Yeah. That would be super cool, dude.”

Lance is excited, because after that, Hunk became his best friend.

 

They spend most of their first summer together playing in the creek, or with the dogs the lady three trailers over has. When summer comes to an end, Lance is more upset than he’d thought he’d be. Hunk would stop visiting, and they’d fall out of contact.

“Hey! It’s okay,” Hunk tells Lance.

His dad's car is open behind him, and he waits patiently for Hunk to say goodbye to his friend.

Lance sniffles a little, and is thankful Marco isn’t around to laugh at him. “What if I don’t see you again?”

Hunk smiles, and pulls Lance in for a hug. “Lance, you’re my best friend,” he says, feeling Lance bury himself into the other. “We’ll see each other again. Here,” Hunk pulls back, and hands Lance a folded paper.

Lance is quick to unfold it, staring at the 10 digits inside.

When he looks up at Hunk warily, he’s met with a smile. 

“It’s my home number,” he says. “So once I leave, we can still talk!”

Lance smiles the biggest he had that day, and jumps onto the boy in front of him. Hunk’s laughter was a pleasant memory in Lances mind, and even as the car drove away, he was happy.

For the next few years, Lance and Hunk saw each other every summer, and a few times throughout the year, but they never stopped talking.

Eventually, when Lance moved away from that trailer park he was lucky enough to end up in the same city as Hunk. He starts in the same school, lives in the same neighbourhood, and eventually has the same friends.

Lance thinks he’s grateful to Hunk not only for his life, but the wonderful future he’d yet to live.

 

* * *

 

Three days after their final day of school, Lance finds himself at Keith’s house. Hunk and Pidge are there as well, and all four of them are sprawled across Keith’s living room while they play his Game Cube.

Lance isn’t very good at the game they’re playing, but he’s enjoying his friends’ outraged cries when Princess Peach kicks their ass for a third time.

“I don’t understand,” Pidge moans. “Samus has better stats and her moves are quicker! Why do I keep losing?” Her head falls forward onto the carpet as a frustrated moan falls from her lips.

Hunk laughs slightly, and rocks from side to side. He’s laying on his stomach, with Pidge draped across his back haphazardly. He rests his head on the carpet, letting out a defeated sigh.

Princess Peach does her victory pose, and Lance smiles. He stretches his arms in front of him, Lance chuckles at his frustrated friends. “The girl power is too strong here. We’re too powerful.”

Hunk rolls his eyes, and nudges Lance with his toe, “Yeah, yeah.” he says. “But just wait, Kirby and I’ll destroy you guys this round.”

Pidge’s head rises again, and Lance can hear through her voice when she rolls her eyes, “You say that every round, Hunk.”

They’re laughing again, and start a new round with the same characters. Lance as Princess Peach, Hunk as Kirby, Pidge as Zero Suit Samus, and Keith as Roy.

Lance is happy here, surrounded by the three people he‘d spent most of his time with for the last four years. Somehow, they’d become more than just friends to him, they’d become a part of his family. And while he loved his brothers and sisters, he loved these three all the same. There is something special about found family, something that runs deep between them. Something that has Lance determined to never let it go.

It’s this mindset that has him slowly drifting down from the high he’s found himself wrapped in. 

He is happy here, surrounded by the three people that had helped him through his hardest times in these last four years. But with the start of the summer, he’s not sure how much longer things would last.

When summer was over, Hunk was off to Olkarion University. He’d be spending his next few years with Shay, and while Lance is over the moon with happiness for Hunk, Olkarion is also an entire plane ride away from home. Away from Oriande, where Lance would be going to school. 

Keith would leave for Arus, which was god knows how far away. And Pidge would be left at Garrison High, all by herself.

The small, tight knit group of people Lance had come to be familiar with, came to rely on, would soon disappear, in the blink of an eye.

At the end of summer, there wouldn’t be anyone left.

He’d be all alone.

He looks up, watches Pidge and Hunk argue about which stage to choose next, watches them laugh as they argue. It’s a little hard to see, knowing how quickly things would come to an end. His knee starts to bounce, and he swallows the growing lump in his throat away.

A hand reaches forward, and rests on his knee. Lance jumps, head whipping to the side.

“Are you alright?” Keith asks. He’d been sitting on the other side of the coach moments before, so Lance is a little surprised to feel him just a small distance away.

Lance nods quickly, trying not to stare into the other’s eyes. He turns back towards the T.V., just as Hunk and Pidge start their new level. Keith doesn’t say anything else, but stays as a comforting presence beside him. The heat between where their thighs are pressed together is distracting, and Lance finds his eyes shifting down to them.

Keith’s in his normal, dark ripped jeans. The controller he’s using rests lightly in his hands, his fingers flying across the controls as he plays the game.

He has nice hands, Lance thinks. They’re smaller than his, but his fingers are longer, and he can see a light dusting of scars across the back of his right hand.

Back in grade 10, James and a few other kids had followed Lance part of the way home, with the intention of causing harm. Lance can’t remember what he did, but he also knows that it sparked a hatred inside James, something that the boy never got over. That afternoon in grade 10, was one of many misfortunes James had tried to cause within Lance’s life.

It was a few streets away from Lance’s home, that things started to go bad.  James and his friends had cornered him in a park, and Lance wasn’t much of a fighter. They’d gotten a few hits in, before Keith came in to stop the fight. The result of that, were the scars painted across his knuckles.

He can’t remember if he ever thanked Keith for that.

Lance startles as Hunk cheers in victory. “Hah! What did I say Lance?”

Refocusing on the T.V. Lance watches Kirby do his victory pose, with the other characters clapping politely behind him.

He blinks owlishly. He’d been so wrapped up in his observation of the other, he forgotten to play the game.

Shaking his head, Lance says, “It was a fluke! I was distracted!”

Pidge rolls her eyes, and tilts her head back to look at him, “Distracted by what then, sunshine?” She narrows her eyes at him, and Lance is positive she knows exactly what he’s distracted by.

At a loss for words, Lance blushes, and crosses his arms. “Whatever, Pidge.”

She laughs hysterically, but the jiggling of the front door being unlocked pulls all their attention away.

“Keith?” A voice asks as the door swings open.

Keith moves from the couch over towards the door, and Lance misses the warmth pressed against him. He doesn't want to acknowledge it, but it was comforting. Lance liked being close to Keith.

“I’m here, Shiro.” Keith says when he gets to the door.

Shiro, Keith’s older brother, (and also one of their school’s English teachers, and also the coach of their school’s hockey team) walks into the foyer, with multiple reusable grocery bags in his arms.

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge all shout their greetings.

Keith is quick to help him, taking the two Shiro has balanced on his prothstetic arm. 

“Thanks,” Shiro smiles at him. “There’s a present at the door for the rest of you kids.” 

Lance turns on the couch and looks behind him into the foyer. He raises his eyebrow, as Pidge says, “What’s that mean?”

A sweet, soft voice filters into the room, and they all spring from their seats to run to the door. 

“Hello!” Allura pops her head around the doorway just as the three of them get to it, and she laughs as they all hug her. 

Allura goes to Altea Academy, an all girls boarding school. She’s still in her school uniform, so Lance assumes she’d come straight from class.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Lance says, tugging her close.

Allura giggles, and hugs him just as tightly. “Of course, now we can all celebrate being done with school together!”

They all gather around the Gamecube, and take turns fighting each other. They create a battle royale sheet, seeing whose main is the best over all. They play 1V1, and laugh all the while.

It’s Hunk and Kirby vs. Allura and Princess Zelda for the first round. Lance gives his controller to her, as she settles onto the carpet with her legs crossed.

“Alright Kirby,” she says, in her pretty accent. “It’s time to get got.”

The battle is ferocious, and it has the ones not playing cheering them on, and rising from their seats as things get intense. Both of their players’ health is above 100%, and one wrong attack would get them sent off the battlefield. Kirby has one life left, while Princess Zelda still has all three. It’s a grueling battle, but eventually Allura comes out on top.

“Oh come on!” Hunk shouts, while Allura raises her arms in victory. The rest of them laugh, giving high fives to Allura and pats on the shoulder to Hunk.

Another round is played, this time between Lance as Princess Peach, and Pidge as Zero Suit Samus.

In the end, Lance comes out on top.

“Come on, Pidge,” Lance stretches his arms above his head, a smirk painted across his lips. “You could have at least tried.”

Pidge whips her head to look at him, her eyes narrowing as she picks up a pillow and whips it straight at Lance’s head. “I was trying!” He falls back laughing, and she grabs the pillow to continue beating him with. “You absolute jerk!”

Keith snorts from his place beside Allura, and Lance rolls over to catch his eye. They smile, and Lance feels something warm spread in his chest.

The rest of the night carries on in a similar fashion, Melee playing on the screen, and friendly insults shot all around. Eventually, Lance loses.

Lance blinks at the screen, as Roy does his signature victory pose. He turns his head to the side, where Keith sits, smirking at the screen.

“Oh no,” Lance starts, “no no no no, no! There is no way I’m losing to  _ Keith!” _

Keith rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging at the edges of his lips. “What, like you just did?”

Lance huffs, and feels warmth rise to his cheeks. The way Keith’s looking at him, isn’t completely unfamiliar. Throughout their four years of schooling together, Lance had received that same look a few times. Smouldering eyes, a small smile. Eyes that look at him with just enough heat to make his heart beat a little faster, make his body warm with a feeling he’s not sure he can name.

Keith makes his chest tighten, his heart skip a beat, his head to spin.

He makes feelings arise in Lance, feelings that he’s not ready to deal with just yet. He feels like he’s balanced on the edge of a cliff, and one wrong move would send him falling, plummeting down farther than he could ever recover from.

He scares Lance.

These  _ feelings  _ scare Lance.

Lance looks away, and ignores the confused look he knows Keith is sending his way. 

Whatever he feels for Keith, it’s too much, and it’s too late.

Everyone would be headed off to college soon, and then he wouldn’t have to worry about these feelings, or what to do with them.

With a deep breath, he hands his controller off to Allura. She moves into his spot, and Lance ignores the growing weight in his stomach. He sits down alone on the coach, and pretends that things are alright.

 

 

 

It’s later that night, when Adam finally comes home. They’ve finished their Melee tournament, Keith coming out on top.

(“That’s cheap,” Pidge mumbles, “He’s the only one that owns the game. He gets extra practise.”)

They’re sat around the T.V., watching netflix. It’s a show Lance isn’t too invested in, but Pidge and Hunk love it, so he’s not too upset.

Hunk is sitting beside him next to the arm of the couch, and Lance leans into his side. He’s warm, and Lance finds comfort in the big guy. What once might have been a crush, had developed nicely into admiration, adoration, and affection. Hunk was more than a best friend. But he was more than happy for the other in finding Shay. 

Now, he’s a comfort to Lance. Someone he can count on, someone who’s always there for him. Lance knows that he would give up everything to do the same.

Pidge is on the lazyboy beside Hunk. Keith sits on the opposite side of the couch, beside Lance. Allura lays sprawled out on the floor, eyes transfixed on the television.

For the most part, they’re quiet. Hunk and Pidge would offer a few comments here and there, while Lance, Keith, and Allura asked questions from time to time. It was relaxing and peaceful. Lance felt warm, and soft.

When the door unlocks, and Adam stumbles into the hallway, Lance rubs at his eyes, trying to rid the sleep from the corners.

Adam calls his greetings into the house, the rest of the living room lazily calls back. But Lance finds his eyes stuck on the man in the doorway, bags of groceries in hand.

“Takashi,” Adam calls in a huff. Shiro shuffles in from the kitchen, smiling. He reaches out to take the groceries from Adam, and wraps his other arm around his waist.

“Welcome home, sunshine.” Shiro says. Adam rolls his eyes, and gives him a soft peck on the lips. Shiro’s smile never falters. “Did you pick up some tortilla shells?”

Lance feels something toxic pull at his chest.

Adam nods, and steps back out the door. Shiro moves back into the kitchen, Adam following shortly after once he’s gathered the mail from their small box outside the door. Lance follows them with his eyes as they head into the kitchen.

Once they’ve disappeared into the kitchen, Lance listens to them talk softly. There is something in his stomach, something that feels like rot. It eats away at him, chips away at his centre until he’s left feeling hollow, feeling empty and guilty and cold.

He knows it’s jealousy, knows that he wants what Shiro and Adam have.

His eyes flutter towards Keith. Finds grey eyes staring back at him.

Lance looks away, and sinks deeper into the rot settling inside his chest.

It’s not that Lance isn’t happy for the two of them, and it’s not that Lance feels like the universe  _ owes _ him a perfect relationship. It’s that Lance hasn’t even had one. Sure, he’s dated here and there, fell desperately in love, walked hand in hand with lust. But something that’s so pure, envelopes his heart so completely and wholly, something that lasts forever -- that’s what Lance wants.

Adam and Shiro had been happily married for 5 years, falling in love halfway through college and marrying soon after. Not to mention their over the top meet-cute. Adam had been Shiro’s lab partner when they were in high school, and they had  _ hated _ each other. They were always at each other's throats, trying to one up each other. Eventually they graduated, and that was that. 

When they met again in college, it was because Shiro had tripped, and launched his lunch of three tacos across the cafeteria, and into Adams lap. Adam had freaked out, seeing just who had caused an issue. Eventually, they ended up in the same class, had gotten to know each other through mutual friends and the forced proximity of being in the same classes as each other.

And, eventually, they’d fallen in love. 

Sure, the want to one up each other, to spur the other in unnecessary competitions didn’t change. But they were happy, and hopelessly  _ gone _ for each other.

Lance refuses to see the parallel with himself and Keith. Refuses to even think about it. He pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind, and tries not to think about how badly he wants it. How fiercely he wants that happiness. How intensely he’ll hold on to it.

Soon they’d be heading their separate ways -- not just Keith, not just Lance. All of them.

Soon he’s going to be all alone. All alone, once again.

Once the summer ended, Hunk would leave with Shay, headed for Olkarion University. Keith was off to Arus, and Lance would be set to head for Oriande University.

At the end of the summer, he’d lose everyone.

The logical part of himself knows that the relationships he’d made won’t end, just because there is some distance between them. The scared and afraid part doesn’t want to believe it. And right now, the latter half of himself is louder.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Lance mumbles as he gets to his feet. He hears Hunk mumble a dismissive response, but he doesn’t wait to hear it. 

He stumbles through the kitchen on the way to the bathroom. He feels a familiar numbness crawl inside his chest, clawing and tearing it’s way towards his heart in a desperate attempt to escape.

It hurts.

Hurts more than he thought it would.

Lance isn’t a fool. He’s aware that things change, that people come and go. He knows that this wouldn’t be goodbye, that this wasn’t the end of all the relationships he’d worked so hard to create. But this change, this feeling of emptiness his friends leaving thrusts inside him. It’s almost too much to bear.

The mirror in Keith’s bathroom is clean, save for some dust and smudges around the corners of it. Lance leans against the sink, and tries to get his emotions under control.

Lance is aware that things change, that some people are constant and others are not. Hunk, Pidge, Keith, and Allura were constants. Continued variables in this mess of a story he called his life.

He likes to believe that what they have is strong, and that the connections and feelings were intertwined within each of them. It would be difficult to let them go.

So Lance straightens, and fixes his hair in the mirror. 

Things may change, and some people may leave. But Lance does his best to believe that the constants would stay, despite the variables. Hunk would still be his best friend, Pidge would still be a gremlin, Allura would still be a princess, and Keith?

Keith would always be his ‘maybe.’ Would always be his ‘what if?’ Keith would-

“Lance? Are you alright?”

-always be the one to stand outside his door, waiting patiently to pick up all his shattered pieces.

Keith would be his wish. Would stay unattainable, yet important.

Keith would stay his dream, and Lance tries his best to live with that.

With a deep breath, Lance opens the door. “I’m fine. What’s up?”

Keith stands at the door, his arms leaning on the door frame, boxing Lance in. When the door opens, Keith straightens slightly, eyes moving to search Lances eyes.

Lance raises an eyebrow when he doesn’t respond. Shaking his head, Keith steps away from the door, keeping one hand pressed against the door frame. 

“You’ve been gone a while,” Keith says, following Lance back through the kitchen.

Lance shrugs, and turns to walk backwards, facing him. “Beauty isn’t natural to all of us Keith.”

He flushes, and turns his head away from Lance.

When a laugh tumbles past his lips, Lance turns back around, only to run into the kitchen table, and knock over the pile of mail Adam had brought in earlier. It all tumbles to the ground, and the two crouch down to gather it back together.

“Klutz,” Keith murmurs.

Lance rolls his eyes, and focuses on gathering the fallen papers.

It’s quiet between them, but then Lance picks up a pamphlet, his eyes drifting across the cover. An idea begins to formulate in his mind.

“Lance?” Keith asks, seeing his hesitation.

“Where’s the closest IKEA?” Lance asks, eyes still drawn towards the paper in his hands.

There is confusion in Keith’s voice when he says, “Just a few minutes away, down on Main Street. Why?”

Lance is on his feet, tugging on Keith’s hand to stand with him. He pulls him towards the living room, free hand still holding the pamphlet and mischief dancing in his eyes. “I have an idea.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I owe this entire fic to Colleen, thank you so much for all the editing you've done to this. I would be dead without you.
> 
> Here is part two of the IKEA fic!!!

It’s the end of the summer, and Lance finds himself, once again, playing Smash Brothers in Keith’s living room.

Hunk, Pidge, and Allura are all there, but this time the air is different. This time, they’re gathered for a purpose.

After Lance had dragged Keith into the living room, he’d pushed him on the couch, and stood in front of the T.V., interrupting their show. He ignored their indignant yells, and held up the IKEA pamphlet up in front of him.

“I know how we’re going to say goodbye.” Lance said, determination written across his face.

The room is silent, before Hunk said hesitantly, “We’re going to IKEA?”

“Yes, but there’s more.” Lance smiled. “Have you ever heard of the IKEA challenge?”

The four of them blinked. They all shook their heads, except Allura, who straightened up from her place sat against the coffee table. “Isn’t that when you stay the entire night in the store?”

Lance nodded excitedly, “Exactly!”

“You want to do the IKEA challenge, before we all go off to college?” Keith asked, a wrinkle in his brow.

“Why would I want to stay overnight in IKEA?” Pidge asked.

Lance began to pace the room, his excitement coursing through him, letting loose his feeling through the movement. “Because! Think of it, the last day the five of us will be together, the last day before we all split off in different directions. We need to do _something._ ”

Hunk scratched at the back of his head, “Yeah I agree, but Lance, IKEA? Isn’t that, I don’t know, illegal?”

“Only if you get caught,” Lance was quick to fire back.

There was silence in the room, before Keith shrugged his shoulders. “I’m in.” They all turned to look at him, but he shrugged again. “What? It sounds like fun.”

Allura was next to agree, explaining how in all her years at Altea Academy, the worst she’d done was steal an extra donut during lunch hours. She smiled, and shrugged her shoulders. “Why not end our time together with a bang?”

Pidge followed, being persuaded rather easily when it came to breaking the rules.

Hunk then caved after. He never was good at saying no to their entire group.

They chose the last day of August -- the last day of summer -- as IKEA day.

It was during their planning that Adam and Shiro came downstairs to drive Allura and the rest home.

After explaining to the two what they planned, Shiro had put his foot down.

“Keith,” he’d started. His big brother voice in full activation mode. “There is no way you’re doing this.”  
Keith rolled his eyes, and blew air onto the bangs that dangled too low in his eyes. Lance thinks he looks pretty when he does that. “Shiro, I’m going.”

“Why would you even want to?” Shiro asked again, leaning a hip into the wall.

“Well,” Pidge started, pushing her glasses farther up her nose. “It’s a nut house during the day, but at night time, it’s basically a modern day labyrinth.”

Adam laughed at that, and came to stand beside Shiro in the living room. “Takashi, if you’re so worried about Keith, why don’t you go with them?”

Shiro’s eyes had bulged, and the rest of the room -- save for Keith -- erupted in agreement.

It took a while, but Shiro agreed, and their IKEA plans were set.

Now it’s IKEA day. Lance is excited, and he knows the rest of his friends are as well. It’s almost six in the morning, and they’re all struggling to stay awake. They’d decided to sleep during the day before, so they’d all be awake for the entire night inside the store. They’d stay up until six in the morning, sleep, before heading to the store at seven.

It’s an easy enough plan, but it’s hard to stay awake.

They’d spread sleeping bags and blankets across the living room floor. Shiro still slept with Adam upstairs, but Keith opts to stay downstairs with the other four. He brings his pillow and blankets downstairs, uses them instead of a sleeping bag.

While they set up to go to sleep, Lance heads to the bathroom.

Most of the day had been uneventful, their group thrumming with excitement and anticipation the entire day. But it was good. Lance was happy.

There was still a part of him that was scared of his friends leaving, but this, here, listening to the sounds of them laugh only a few rooms over, has him smiling.

After he’s finished, he heads back into the living room.

His content, happy feelings are brushed aside, all too quickly. Fear, anticipation, and nervousness take their place.

Allura has set up her blankets on the couch, and she’s already fast asleep from what Lance can tell. Pidge is on the recliner, feet propped up and head buried in the blankets.

Hunk is sitting up in his sleeping bag on the floor, closest to Lance’s currently frozen form. Keith is beside him, turned away from the two and fast asleep. And next to Keith?

Is Lance’s sleeping bag.

His brain short circuits, and his mind jolts into overdrive.

Next to Keith.

 _Lance’s_ sleeping bag.

Is next to _Keith._

_Lance was going to sleep next to Keith._

Lance was _fucked._

Hunk gives Lance a curious expression, and, in the most nonchalant way he can, Lance panics his way over to his own sleeping bag. He crawls inside, and immediately turns his body away, staring wide-eyed at the wall in front of him.

Hunk then turns off the light, and falls asleep.

Approximately ten minutes pass, where Lance doesn’t move a muscle. He’s too aware of the boy behind him. Too aware of his soft breaths, of the heat he can feel radiating from his body.

He hears Keith shift on the floor, feels him move _closer to Lance--_

Lance sucks in a breath as Keith’s breath gusts across his neck, shivers as a chill runs down his spine, gasps as the feeling spreads lower--

“Are you alright?”

Lance sputters, quickly turning around to face him. He knows his breathing has picked up, knows his face must be red. But he uses the darkness as a mask, and tries for a steady voice. “I’m fine, but I am trying to sleep!”

He can hear Keith’s blankets rustle, before he’s saying, “Don’t sound fine.”

Outwardly, Lance doesn’t like the sound of his voice, doesn’t like how cocky he sounds. Inwardly, Lance wants to hear it again. “Whatever, Mullet. Roll over.”

“What, why?” Keith whispers.

“I-- I don’t like your…” Lance pauses, feels heat rise to his cheeks. “Your breath tickles.”

Keith is silent for a moment, and then he laughs.

“Why are you _laughing?_ ” Lance squeaks.

Keith clears his throat, but the laughter still hides behind his voice, airy and playful. “Because you’re so weird.”

Lance huffs, before rolling over and pulling the blanket up over his shoulders, covering his neck. He settles into the blankets, and does everything he can to push the thought of just how close Keith is to the back of his mind. Does his best to avoid the feelings their proximity gives him.

It works for a while, but then Keith breaks the silence. His voice is gentle, and Lance does his best to ignore the flutter that erupts in his chest. “Are you scared?”

His eyebrows furrow, and he asks, “Of what?”

Blankets shift, and Keith says, “The future.”

Lance sighs, and thinks about his answer.

Lance knows what he wants to do, knows what he wants to spend the rest of his life doing. When it comes to that, he’s not afraid at all. But when he thinks about his friends, all spread out across the room, how their closeness will soon be a thing of the past, he answers, “Yeah, I am.”

He’s honest, and Lance doesn’t remember the last time he was this vulnerable around Keith. Doesn’t remember if he ever really was. It’s a little frightening, a little nerve wracking, but exciting.

It’s nice to feel this close to the other, nice to feel like what he’s saying is okay, nice to feel validated.

It’s this feeling, that has Lance rolling back over to face the other.

In the darkness, he can’t see Keith’s eyes. But he can feel the warmth radiate from his body, can feel the gentle puff of air dusting across his lips. Can feel the genuinity in his voice when Keith whispers, “I am too.”

He feels safe here, feels wanted. Feels like Keith cares what he has to say, like his feelings matter.

Feels like he’s valued.

Lance drifts off to Keith’s steady breathing.

It sounds like a lullaby, written only for him.

  
  


It’s 8 P.M. and Lance’s fingers won’t stop vibrating. He has a small string from Pidge’s bag in his hands, constantly turning it over in his fingers. It’s getting emptier in the store, but he hasn’t found a hiding place just yet. They’ve split up into groups, hoping to quell the suspicion of the employees as the 6 of them walk into the store, each with heavy bags so close to the end of the night. Lance trails behind Hunk and Pidge, watching as they talk quietly between them. Keith walks beside him, looking just as bored as he usually does. After knowing the other for as long as he has, he’s become quite good at reading the expressions on his face.

“Have you seen a good spot, yet?” Lance asks him.

Keith shakes his head, “Not yet. Probably farther into the store in a wardrobe or something.”

Lance nods, eyes training onto Pidge as she nudges Hunk, pointing at something to the side. Hunk quickly turns, and heads towards a rather large bed set.

They enter a section for what Lance believes is for children. Everything is brightly coloured, and blocky. There are high walls to separate each section, giving an idea of what the room would look like with all the matching furniture in it.

The small room they’ve entered is tucked in behind another, and as they all come to a stop in front of the bed, Lance is fairly certain they cover the entire entrance, ensuring no one can see them.

“What’s up, big guy?” Lance asks.

Hunk points to the bed in front of him. “This is it. This is my campsite.”

Lance blinks, confused. “A bed?”

Hunk smiles, “Not just any bed.” He reaches forward, and lifts at the end of the bed and tugs. After a moment it begins to lift, revealing a storage compartment underneath. It’s only the floor beneath it, so it doesn’t look too comfy, but it looks easy enough to hide in for quite some time.

“What about air?” Keith starts. “I think you might get a little light headed being in there for too long.”

Pidge adjusts her glasses. “You can stick the edge of the bottom blanket in between the bed and the wood, so when it closes it leaves a small gap.”

Hunk is nodding his head quickly, a manic grin stretching across his lips.

“It’s perfect,” he says. “I’ll never get caught.”

Lance and Keith move to the entrance, keeping watch as Pidge helps Hunk take off his backpack and crawl into the small storage compartment. Once he’s inside, Lance chances a glance back.

He fits rather nicely, legs only slightly bent to the side. He’s setting up the backpack on his side, when Pidge chucks in a pillow from atop the bed. After he’s situated, Pidge helps him lower the mattress and lid and stuff the edge of the blanket inside, creating a small gap in between. She pulls down the comforter, and hides the crumpled blanket.

After she’s finished, the bed looks normal, albeit missing some pillows.

“Alright,” Lance starts, “You good?”

Hunk sounds muffled when he shouts, “Good to go!”

Pidge laughs, “Good luck then.”

Keith nods as well, an amused smile stretching across his lips. “See you in a few hours.”

And with that, they leave Hunk under the bed.

 

* * *

 

Pidge disappears sometime after that, seeing a dresser and exclaiming how she _knew_ she could fit in that. Lance and Keith walk aimlessly around the store, looking for their own hiding places. They’re mostly silent, until Keith abruptly shoves them into a bathroom display.

“What are you doing?” Lance yells, only to have Keith push a hand over his mouth and move into his space.

“Quiet down!” He says, anxiously looking behind him.

Normally, Lance would have fought back, tried to yell even louder, maybe lick Keith’s hand. But Keith smells like a store brand cologne, and it smells _good._ Lance vaguely realizes that because it’s Keith, anything would smell good, and that the cheap scent he wears is really just average, but to Lance, it’s anything but.

He’s distracted by it, and with Keith pressed so tight against him, he’s almost dizzy. Keith is looking out into the doorway, and slowly he removes his hand from Lance’s mouth.

Lance’s heart is beating a mile a minute, the heat from Keith’s body pressed against his own making his head spin, his heart race, and his cheeks heat.

Keith turns to Lance, eyes narrowed. Lance remembers that he’s irritated with the kid. _Who does he think he is?_

“What the fuck, Keith?” Lance whisper yells.

Keith rolls his eyes, and pushes a few loose strands of hair behind his ear. “I think I saw James.”

Lance blinks, “Griffin?”

“Do we know any other?”

Lance chooses to ignore the remark, because he’s the bigger person.

“Is he gone?” Lance asks, slightly on edge. He leans around Keith’s frame, getting a whiff of his cologne again as he looks into the hallway beyond the small bathroom display.

Lance pretends, once again, like it’s not the best thing he’s ever smelt.

His chest presses against Keith’s back as he peaks around the corner. He hears Keith gasp, and his eyes flick down towards him. Instantly, Lance is anxious.

Keith’s face is red, and he’s giving Lance a _look._

Instantly, Lance pulls back. “S-sorry.”

Keith continues to stare, before he gives his head a quick jerk. “It’s fine.”

They both move to look into the hallway, checking to make sure James had wondered somewhere else. When the coast is clear, they head down the hall a little more, continuing their search.

Relaxed again, Lance throws his arms behind his head. “Wonder what he was doing here.”

Keith walks beside him, and stuffs his hands into his hoodie pockets. “We’re in IKEA. He’s shopping.”

“Well no duh,” Lance responds, leaning away from Keith. He’d forgotten there were other things to do in IKEA, other than try to complete the challenge.

They walk in silence a little more, searching. It isn’t until they get farther back into the store, that the theme of the furniture begins to change. They come across a bedroom set, that looked to be made of oak. It seemed old, and rather old fashioned like. But Keith stopped in front of it, and crossed his arms.

Lance stops behind him, and looks around for whatever seemed to have caught his attention.

The bed frame is wooden, accents hard and pointy. Altogether it's regal looking, and Lance can’t help but connect it to something older, almost from the Victorian age. The bed is in the corner of the room, with a night table on either side against the walls. They too, seem old and hardened. At the very end of the bed lies a dark, cedar chest. The latches are iron, the designs curvy and elegant.

Keith steps forward and pulls up on the chest. It opens quietly, its lack of creaking the only give away to its fake vintage look.

Keith looks inside it, hands on his hip. Then he turns to Lance. “Alright. I choose here.”

Lance blinks again, and looks down at the chest. It’s quite large, and it fits along the length of the queen bed behind it. It’s deep, but he’s not sure it’s deep enough.

“Are you sure you’re gonna fit?”  
Keith nods, and starts sliding his backpack down his arms. It lands in the chest with a thwump, and he starts to step in.

Lance sighs, and comes forward to help Keith get settled. Eventually, Keith is laying back against his backpack, it being used as a temporary headrest. His legs don’t fit completely, so they’re bent at the knee, and tilted to the side. He’s got his phone in his lap, the flash light already on.

“You good?” Lance asks.

“Yeah, shut the lid.” Keith says.

With a nod, and a mock two fingered salute, Lance lowers the lid. “See you on the other side, space ranger.”

Keith’s laughter is muffled beneath the lid, but it makes Lance smile as he walks to find his own hiding place.

 

*

 

It takes only a few minutes more for Lance to find his own spot. There are rooms of sorts, seperated with thin walls, but lined neatly along the the aisle like displays. (Lance realizes that yes, this is IKEA. That’s exactly what they are). Each room has a door frame, and a thin purple curtain as a door. Lance decides they’re worth a look at.

He walks down the displays until he reaches the middle, and slides the curtain aside as he enters the room. It’s what looks to be a modern room, the bed much like the one he knows Hunk’s been hiding under for the past thirty minutes. There are wardrobes built into the walls, with a large fancy mirror stretched in between them. It’s small, and cozy. Most of the furniture is white, and Lance feels like it might be a little too much. The brightness hurts his eyes.

He stops in front of the first wardrobe, and looks inside. It’s got shelves across its entirety, so he can’t fit himself inside. He closes the doors and moves to open the next one.

The shelves in the second cupboard are laying at the bottom of the wardrobe, and Lance cheers quietly as he realizes he can definitely fit inside.

He sets his backpack down on the floor, and squeezes himself inside. Turning on the flashlight on his phone, he shuts the door, and sighs. It’s quiet inside the closet, the muffled noise of other IKEA shoppers filtering in through the crack of the folding doors of the wardrobe.

Lance figures he might as well get comfortable.

Taking the shelves at the bottom, Lance stands them upright, and settles his backpack against them to prevent them from falling. It’s not the comfiest chair, but it will do for the first hour or so that he’d be waiting inside.

As he settles, he opens the group chat to inform them of his status. He’s missed quite a few messages, and back reading would take to long. He jumps into the conversation the same time that Hunk responds.

 

Hunkalicious: It’s so stuffy I’m going to suffocate.

McLame: im hidden mission is a go

Podge: Didn’t we leave you an air hole???

Shirt Dad #1: Hey, Lance

Allcoola: Hunk this is relatable

Hunkalicious: Lance!

Keithy boii: hey lance

Allcoola: Hello, Lance!

Podge: ugH lAncE

McLame: >:(

McLame: Katie.

Podge: disgUSTING

McLame: love urself, express urself

Keithy boii: Kill it with fire

Hunkalicious: So did everyone find a good place?

Allcoola: I’m hidden!

Shirt Dad #1: Ditto

Keithy boii: ya

Podge: yessir

McLame: righty rito my dorito

Hunkalicious: cool cool, then we’re all set

Shirt Dad #1: Does everyone remember the meeting place?

Keithy boii: food court

Podge: food court

Hunkalicious: food court

Allcoola: food court

McLame: food court?

Shirt Dad #1: This does not inspire confidence, Lance.

Hunkalicious: yikes

Podge: yikes

Keithy boii: yike

McLame: everyone answered fr me k i dont needa think for myself

Allcoola: mood

Hunkalicious: relatable

Podge: yikes

 

As the group chat dies down, Lances eyes flick around the small closet he finds himself inside. It’s just a little before 10 P.M., but he can’t hear anything beyond the closet door. He can feel himself start to get a little anxious, his feet tapping at the ground below him, teeth chewing on his lower lip. He’d lost the string from Pidge a while back, and his hands fidget restlessly against his lap. He’s also hungry.

With a sigh he rests his hands against the wall behind him, and closes his eyes. He tries to breathe, when he feels his phone vibrate with a new message. When he looks down, his screen shows a new message from Keith.

 

9:53 P.M.

K: Feeling anxious yet?

 

Lance laughs. It’s an equal exchange. For however much he knows Keith, he knows Keith knows him just as well. With a sigh of relief, he texts back.

 

9:54 P.M.

L: gettin a little jittery ngl

 

9:54 P.M.

K: I thought so

K: What did you bring with you?

 

Lance leans forward to unzip his bag, grimacing at the zipper.

 

9:55 P.M.

L: doritos a flashlight and a hpone charger

L: phone*

 

9:56 P.M.

K: Where do you plan on charging your phone?

 

Lance blinks, confused.

 

9:56 P.M.

L: ??? a outlet???

 

9:56 P.M.

K: We’re in IKEA, do you think they’re just gonna be laying around?

 

9:57 P.M.

L: Idk dude what r u usually gonna pack for these things?

 

9:57 P.M.

K: a portable charger???

 

9:58 P.M

L: fuck you kogane

 

There is a longer wait between the messages, and Lance worries for just a moment that he’d upset Keith, before his phone screen lights up again.

 

10:00 P.M.

K: you wish

 

Lance chokes.

 

10:00 P.M.

L: alaksjfue???

L: UHm??

 

10:01 P.M.

K: Too much, right? Sorry.

 

10:01 P.M.

L: its k

L: i guess im just not used to u being?

L: funny i guess?

 

10:01 P.M.

K: what does that mean???

 

10:01 P.M.

L: keith pls ur a literal stick in the mud

 

Again, Keith doesn’t answer.

 

10:03 P.M.

L: come on keith im joking, come back

L: im soooorrrryyy

 

10:03 P.M.

K: I am a lot of fun 😡

 

Lance giggles. Keith just isn’t aware of how cute he can be.

Lance pauses.

Did he just call Keith cute? Taking a deep breath, Lance shakes his head. It’d been a weird day, and yeah, maybe Keith makes his heart skip a beat. But it’s because they’re friends, super good, super best friends.

Yeah.

Rolling his shoulders, Lance decides teasing Keith would be the best course of action.

 

10:05 P.M.

L: of course u r, my adorable mullet man

 

10:05 P.M.

K: stop calling me that

 

10:05 P.M.

L: whatever u say, picky mullet man

 

10:06 P.M.

K: I’m not picky, and I meant the other one

 

10:07 P.M.

L: mullet man?

L: does that mean i can still call u adorable?

 

10:07 P.M.

K: noo???

 

10:07 P.M.

L: i’m going to

L: i’m never going to stop

L: adorable keithy

 

Lance has a smile spread across his face, and he’s holding a hand against his mouth to try and smother his giggles.

 

10:08 P.M.

K: i’m not responding anymore

 

Lance does laugh out loud this time, his heart fluttering happily in his chest.

 

10:08 P.M.

L: see you soon, adorable mullet man <3

 

10:08 P.M.

K: <3

 

* * *

 

A few moments after Lance pulls out his headphones, the lights go out. He freezes, and his heart begins to pound in his chest. It’s in this moment that things really fall into place, and his head starts to rationalize that yes, the game has begun.

He listens for a moment, hearing complete silence.

“Okay,” he whispers, rubbing his hands together, “okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.”

He’s stressed, and while he knows it’s mostly just adrenaline surging through his veins, the fear of getting caught rattles him just as much.

He takes out his phone again, seeing the time as 10:16 P.M.

Just under an hour before he can move, and meet up with the others. He sits on the ledge and tips his head back, sighing loudly in an attempt to control his breathing, and relax his pounding heart. When that quickly proves to not do much of anything, he reaches forward and digs in his bag. He pulls out the bag of Doritos, cringing as the bag crinkles loudly.

“Fuck,” Lance whispers again, slowly pulling the bag apart. “Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Lance pulls slowly, thinking it’d be quieter the less he pulled, but all it serves him is one long, _loud_ , drawn out noise. He’s holding his breath as he pulls the bag apart, sweat trickling down his forehead.

Attempting to eat Doritos had never been more stressful.

With the bag finally open, Lance reaches inside and starts munching happily. He’s three chips in, when a steady, _thunk, thunk, thunk_ , heads towards him. It takes only a moment for Lance to realize these are footsteps

Footsteps that are getting louder, closer, _faster._

“Oh fuck,” Lance shoves the Doritos back in his bag, unperturbed by the noise it makes. “Fuck, shit, damn, oh my, oh no.”

He holds his breath as the footsteps stop. They start again, slowly entering the display to Lance’s left.

They pull open the doors in the other room’s closet, and Lance can hear him digging through the blankets. He’s searching, and Lance is almost positive it’s for him.

Taking a gulp of air, Lance quietly pushes the closet door open. Although  the display wall is between them, Lance can hear the guard clearly, despite not being able to see him. Along the ceiling, a single row of lights light up the aisle.

Slowly, he pushes his backpack straps up his shoulders, and crouch walks out of the closet.

The guard is still searching through the other room, and Lance figures it’s only a moment before the guard leaves to search the next room. The next being Lance’s.

Lance creeps forward, making his way towards the door. If he can get out, sneak into another display without the guard noticing, he might be able to avoid the guard all together.

“Come on, McClain,” he whispers, pulling the curtain to the side and peeking out. “You can do this. You can do this.”

He’s taking deep breaths, trying to build up the strength to leap out, and sprint into the display across the aisle. His heart slams against his ribcage, the sounds around him drowned out by the gushing of his blood in his ears. Lance is rocking on his feet, trying to propel himself forward. But he’s frozen, with the fear of actually getting caught, and what it might entitle scaring him to the point he can’t move, almost can’t see, and can’t hear the footsteps as they begin to leave the display beside him.

The curtain beside him rustling, before being thrown open scares Lance enough, that he screams.

The guard is just as terrified, jumping back and tangling himself in the curtain as he tumbles to the floor.

While Lance was panicked before, seeing the guard face to face is enough to inspire his fight or flight reflexes, and very quickly, Lance is _gone._

**Author's Note:**

> this be section 1, three more to go :')


End file.
